Meetings and Greetings
by Pink Purple and Blue Cows
Summary: It says in Triss that Deyna has a family. I wonder who his wife was...


I shot two arrows from my Longbow at the targets and hit them both times.

'Shade! Shade!' yelled my friend Ambereye. She was a normal sized red squirrel with beautiful amber eyes. 

'What?' I asked

'Some Redwallers are at the gate to visit the fort!'

'Swoggle me barnacles! Really?' I asked

'Swoggle me barnacles?' Ambereye asked back, eyebrow arched

'Sorry, I heard Skippers saying it' I said

'Ok, well don't do it again. Its scary' replied Ambereye, running off towards a group of beasts with strangers among them. I ran after Ambereye and started introducing myself to the Redwallers. Suddenly, I saw a glint of metal. An otter stood talking to a hare with the most beautiful sword I had ever seen on his waist. It was obviously a warrior's blade. Nothing fancy, with the red pommel stone in the hilt. The otter must of felt me staring because he looked up and smiled.

'Hey, I'm Deyna. Who are you?' he asked

'Shade Slipstream. Is that your sword?' I asked

'Yea, do you like it? Its the Redwall Champions sword' Deyna said

'So why are you holding it?' I joked

'Ha ha' the otter replied 'I'm the champion of Redwall'

'Really?' I asked 'I'll have you a competition'

'Really? What kind?' Deyna asked 

'Longbow and swordfight' I replied after a moment of thinking

'Ok. Lets go right now' Deyna said

'Ok, Longbow first' I replied

'Fine with me' he answered

By now a whole crowd was listening. Two mice ran to set up another archery stand. Deyna got a longbow and we got ready. Swish! Thwack! The arrows flew strait and true. When the two mice ran up to see who was closer, I won by a hair. Deyna was very nice about it

'Congratulations' he said 'Excellent shot. I'm more of a swordsbeast'

'Well, that's next' I said 'and thank you'

'Ooh' said Ambereye 'You never said that to me!' 

'Shut up' I said 'He's a guest'

'Sure' was all she would say

The next day was showing to be a hot day, the sun was already burning the mist away early in the morning. Me and Deyna ate breakfast together and had the swordfight after lunch. During lunch, we had a contest for who could eat hotroot soup with the most hotroot. We don't know who won, but over half a bag of hotroot gets to you. We must have drunken over three barrels of cowslip cordial

The swordfight was long and tiring. It must have gone on for over an hour.

The swords had clashed under the midmorning sun and in the end, Deyna had chopped my sword in half! 

'I'm so sorry!' he cried 'I didn't mean to'

'Its ok' I said 'apologize to Ambereye. It's her sword'

Then I saw Ambereye was in the crowd of watchers. She didn't look happy 'Run!'

We barely made it away in time. She looked like she wanted to kill us. But then I tripped and fell in a mud puddle at the edge of the pond and she fell down laughing. I grabbed her and dragged her in and Deyna jumped in with us. We had a great mudfight and it took over half and hour to get clean. That night after dinner I was looking for Ambereye and saw her walking rather closely with a squirrel. I saw her laughing and giggling with him and I ran off laughing. I found out that the squirrel's name was Gleameye. He was a big reddish squirrel. He was from Redwall and extremely nice. I know this because I had to talk to hi after I say him with Ambereye. Hmm, The Eye family... Anyway, that dinner, I talked to Deyna. 

'We need to have one more competition to see who the winner is' I said

'Yea. Maybe a knife throwing competition?' He offered 'We could do it tomorrow'

'Yea!' I said 'Can I use my dirk?' 

'I was just going to ask that' Deyna said

'Ok so it's a dirk throwing contest?' I asked 

'I guess so' replied Deyna 'Hey, its Gleameye and your friend Ambereye'

'Quick! Hide!' I said running into some bushes. Deyna ran behind me sat in the prickly bushes

'What are we doing?' he asked in a whisper

'Shhhh' I said 'I need to see something'

Ambereye was laughing and giggling again and the squirrel from Redwall. Then Gleameye kissed Ambereye. And she blushed and laughed! She has never done that before! Never! She would have punched him out if it had been anyone else! This was so good! I ran out of the back of the bushes and walked around. Conveniently running into Ambereye and Gleameye. 

'Hi Amber' I said

'Aah! What are you doing here?' she screamed shrilly 

'Nothing' I said. Then Deyna came up

'Hey Gleameye what's up?' he asked

'Nothing' he stammered.

Laughing, we left them to themselves.

The next day wasn't as hot as the last and after breakfast were me and Deyna had a contest of who could eat the most which was another tie, we wandered down to the pond. 

'I say we do the dirk throwing competition on the archery stands' I said

'Ok, let's do it now' Deyna said

'Ok' I said. Once we were at the stands I pulled my dirk out of my belt and Deyna pulled his out. I flicked my paw and the dirk went flying into a perfect bullseye. I tugged it out and Deyna took his shot. A bullseye! 

'Sheesh' I said 'When is someone gonna win?' I asked

'I dunno' said Deyna 'But I'm going back to Redwall tomorrow'

'Oh' I said quietly. Even though he had only been at the fort for a few days, me and Deyna were already close friends.

'I've got to go' he said quietly 'see you tomorrow' 

That night, three figures sat in a room, outlined by the fire, their shadows growing larger and smaller with the flickering flames. Two paced and walked around the room while the third sat in a chair only getting up to hug the other to before the fire was put out.

The following day Deyna and Gleameye stood with the other Redwallers ready to leave. Neither one had seen Shade or Ambereye all day. They were about to walk out of the fort gates with the others when suddenly they head a shout

'Hey! I haven't beaten you yet!' I yelled, running up and feinting anger at Deyna, lugging at my havestsack

'What's with the bag?' asked Deyna

'I still have to beat you' I said 'and I need clothe and food for the trip to Redwall. You don't want me to starve do you?'

'Don't forget me!' said Ambereye 'I have to watch over you young uns'

'And Gleameye' Deyna joked

Gleameye blushed and twirled his tail, embarrassed

'Don't worry' I said 'I'll help you get Deyna back during the trip'

After a day and night of traveling me and Deyna were gathering watershrimp in a river. We had just tied in a race and we were lying panting on a small overhand over the river. 

'I'm so glad you came' Deyna said quietly

'Me to' I said 'And I'll show you how much'

Saying that, I gave him a kiss and right when he started to kiss back pushed him into the river. He grabbed my paw right when he rolled over the edge and I fell with him and we laughed and splashed in the river. 


End file.
